Wichita eagle., 1887-09-28
RAMBLEs ABOUT EUROPE.
From England to Egypt Especially for
the Eagle.
no. XIV.

| | am ct loss to know how | shall pro
coed to describe Rome, In one or two brie
letters, where mine so inexhaustible il
historical lore lies open before me. Tn
libraries of the world are replete with vol
umes written contcmporaneously by sucl
grand old historians as Plutarch, Tacitus
Dyonysius, Pliny and others. and modern
writers with the compilation of twentysil
centuries in which Rome has had an exis
tence, have found fruitful field With,
the walls of the Eternal City for the exer-
else of literary labor.
Ancient Rome and modern Rome are az
distinct In characteristics as the Pompeii Of
today and-Naples Ancient Rome date;
from 753 years B. G. 1t was six times par
TALLY destroyed by fire, and from time 10
time was torn by internal dissensions, ard
subjected to capture and pillage by allen
forces. Occupying the proud position Of
being mishess of the world at one period,
1t eventually became shorn of Its glory and
sank so low In political importance as well
as In population, as to merit only pity for
its deplorable condition and commiseration
for the struggling seven thousand inhabi
tants to which it had become reduced.
The fires of course destroyed many of
its temples, palaces and works Of art The
iconoclastic hordes from the north that
swept down upon the Empire respected
nothing of higher civilization than their
own.
Constantine, the first Christian emperor,
and, by the way, a Briton. In $50, 4. D.,
set up q new capitol In Byzantium, now
called Constantinople, and embellished it
with monuments and works of art taken
from Rome. Her own citizens helped on
the work of destruction by the pulling
down and removal of broDzes and marbles,
oftimes converting the latter into lime for
purposes of utility. 1t is questionable if
anything of archaeological value would
have survived the dark and medieval ages,
except the stones of Rome" which lacked
"but tongue In every wound Of Caesar s
that should move them to rise and mutiny,"
had it not been for the concealment afforded
through the operations of natural laws
The debris of fallen buildings, the wash
from the rain shed, the accumulation of
garbage through many centuries and the
deposits left by the Theirs overflow buried
Rome to the depth of thirty feet Recent
excavations are attended with grand results,
and the spectacle revealed, whilst not SO
imposing as Pompeii, presents character
istics of the same similiiude.
Modern Rome is built partly over the
~ I.,+ IL,
north into the valley of the Campus
Martious, beyond the limits of the old city
1t dates from the 18th century, and the
older portion of 1t is strange conglomera-
ton of churches there are only 300 in
Rome, palaces, open squares, and narrow
streets, fountains, obelisks, ruins and dirt.
The newer portion, fancy. owes its exis-
tence to the advent of the railway, and the
severance Of church and state The streets
here are wide and straight; the buildings
first-class, and the air as pure. say as In
our own national capital. The building
boom IS in full force, and hither laborers
flock from all parts of the kingdom, to find
employment at such starvation wages as
would produce anarchy in America in less
than no time. / have observed these
'hewers of wood and drawers of water"
at their daily toll in the broiling sun, exer-
cising more muscle, and expanding more
energy than laborers under free govern
ment will contribute for thrice the remun.
Grafton they receive. I have seen them at
their incoming" and at shutdown when the
long midsummer days iabors had ceased,
munching piece of black bread and an
onion-meat would have been too
rich for their blood considering the state Of
their eychequer.
Again I have noticed them under the
silent stars. stretched by the score on
mother earth or the steps and porticoes of
churches aud public buildings, seeking rest
and forgetfulness which honest toll vouch-
safes to all her subjects. Under these con
dttions where the laws of hygeiene are SO
wofully disregarded, there is little wonder
that Rome labors under the opprobrium Of
being "a sickly hole" The experiment
carried to excess in our own matches eli
mate, would depopulate the Arkansas
valley.
We were exceedingly fortunate in hay
ing provided for our instruction and enter
tainment, the services of Prof. 8. Russell
Forbes-the eminent archaeological and
historical lecturer on Roman antiquities.
who for three successive days conducted us
through the labyrinth of corridors ia which
the imperial city abounds, and explained
their significance and historical importance.
Prof Forbes is of English birth, and has
made the antiquities of Rome life study;
a thorough gentleman and riTe scholar
with supreme passion for his calling, he
has aided the authorities in their herculeau
task of unearthing ancient Rome, by bring
ing to bear his superior knowledge cleaned
from writings of the ancients, determining
locations and historical land marks, often
before basketball of earth was removed,
proofs Of his accuracy are indisputable.
Picture to your mind an audience of nine
teen or twenty American ladies and gentle
men with sun shades spread, grouped
around the lecturer In the presence of the
remnant of wall built by Romulus 2, GAO
years ago. Loose sight of the group of my
fellow travellers, and follow the demarca-
ton of the wall in its extension around the
Palatin hill, which it enclosed, and you
need look no further for the town site of
original Rome. Nesr this spot was the
gate of Ports Carmenta through which the |
Romans rushed bearing captive 6S3 pre-
sumably fair Sabine women. Free the |
wings Of imagination for moment and |
see where they will soar to, Romulus had
Just enclosed his city and settled down to |
enjoy life with his fellow freebooters: but
his stag psrties" grew monotonous and he |
felt kind of lonesome for
There YVES dearth Of womanis kisses
And q lack OF wUmans tears"
That's what was the matter with |
Romulus, else why so pensive! From his